The best hidden gems on Netflix UK

Mark Butler

Netflix has a pretty extensive library to wade through these days. But the downside of that is that many terrific TV shows and films go undiscovered and under-appreciated on the service.

Scottish thriller Calibre is one recent addition that is gaining a cult fanbase. So we asked members of our Screen Babble group on Facebook to suggest their favourite hidden gems on Netflix UK.

From gripping survival dramas to Japanese reality shows, here are their top picks.

Entertaining escapism

If you’re after something a little different from the norm, Khalil A. Cassimally heartily recommends Terrace House. The non-fiction show, which follows a group of strangers sharing a home in Tokyo, has been widely acclaimed, but remains very much a cult proposition.

“Soothing reality TV without over the top conflict, where people act conscientiously (or try as best they can),” is Cassimally’s verdict.

Terrace House (Photo: Netflix)

Elsewhere, Naomi Fletcher claims People Just Do Nothing is “hilarious”. “It’s a mockumentary about some underground grime MCs who really aren’t as good as they think they are.”

Robert Chow, meanwhile, salutes Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin’s comedy series Grace and Frankie. “The episodes are short enough to fit into any busy schedule, and they are light hearted, which make a nice change to all the doom and gloom on my list.”

Riveting drama

If you like your offbeat crime shows, Davina Baynes feels Happy should do the trick. The black comedy is about an alcoholic detective turned hitman who experiences bizarre hallucinations. “It is really different, funny, sad and disturbing.”

On the historical drama front, if you want power-games and bloodlust to rival Game of Thrones within a real-world period setting, Shona Hume suggests Medici: Masters of Florence as your next Netflix fix.

“I loved the storyline, historical fiction is a winner for me, and while it’s a relatively unrelatable era in many respects, the political scheming is very relatable.”

Films you’ve (probably) missed

Those not looking to commit to a full TV saga can be assured there are many good movies they’ve probably overlooked while browsing.

The Fundamentals of Caring has “a great storyline” says Shona Hume – “touching on socially awkward issues but giving them a humourous edge. And you know…Paul Rudd.”

If you want a good psychological chiller, meanwhile, Davina Baynes points to moody Stephen King adaptation 1922. “The story is solid (King so it would be), Thomas Jane never, ever disappoints,” and Baynes sums it up as a “very atmospheric horror”.

King’s story has been compared to the macabre work of Edgar Allan Poe (Photo: Netflix)

Then there’s the widely celebrated but largely un-seen All Is Lost, which stars Robert Redford as a lone sailor fighting to stay alive when calamity strikes in the Indian Ocean.

“It’s a quality, immersive film that is a hidden gem from a lot of the big blockbuster films,” says Ross Perth. “I was exhausted by the end of it.”